TECHNICAL PAPERS
May 1, 2000

Municipal Solid Waste Slope Failure. I: Waste and Foundation Soil Properties

Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 126, Issue 5

Abstract

This paper describes a slope failure in a municipal solid waste landfill, with lateral and vertical displacements of up to 275 and 61 m, respectively. The wasteslide involved approximately 1.2 million m3 of waste, making it the largest landfill slope failure to occur in the United States. Failure developed through the weak native soil underlying the waste. The analyses and related studies conducted to determine the cause of the failure are the subject of this and a companion paper by Stark et al. (2000). To facilitate the analyses, this paper investigates shear strength of municipal solid waste using field and laboratory test results and back-analysis of failed waste slopes. It also presents details of a geological study and laboratory testing program undertaken to quantify the mobilized shear strength of the weak native soil.

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Go to Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 126Issue 5May 2000
Pages: 397 - 407

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Received: Aug 22, 1997
Published online: May 1, 2000
Published in print: May 2000

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Asst. Prof. of Civ. Engrg., Zagazig University—Shobra Branch, Cairo, Egypt.
Prof. of Civ. Engrg., Univ. of Illinois, 205 N. Mathews Ave., Urbana, IL 61801.
Envir. Engr., Central Ofc., Div. of Solid and Infectious Waste Mgmt., Ohio Envir. Protection Agency, Columbus, OH.
Civ. Engr., Schaeffer, Amos, & Hughes, LLC, 1253-G Lyons Rd., Dayton, OH 45458; formerly, Envir. Engr., Southwest District, Div. of Solid and Infectious Waste Mgmt., Ohio Envir. Protection Agency, Dayton, OH.

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